SLR acquire HFP Acoustical Consultants

Environmental firm strengthens global offering with acquisition of North American acoustics company

ENVIRONMENTAL firm SLR Consulting have strengthened their global offering with the acquisition of North American acoustics firm HFP Acoustical Consultants, who have offices in Houston, Texas, and Calgary in Canada.

HFP provide acoustics and noise-control consulting services to a broad range of clients in the energy, industry, planning and development, infrastructure, mining and minerals, and waste-management sectors. Founded in 1979, the company has successfully completed more than 5,800 acoustical engineering projects in 19 countries on six continents.

Projects range from acoustic design to noise impact assessments, as well as commissioning and operational noise-emission studies, for clients such as Lafarge Canada, Conoco Phillips, BP, Chevron, Esso Resources Canada and ExxonMobil.

Neil Penhall, chief executive officer of SLR Consulting, said: ‘We have seen a strong increase in client demand for acoustics- and vibration-related work and HFP’s services complement those we already offer.

‘This move provides a platform for us to enhance the range of acoustics and noise-control services to new and existing clients in North America and internationally.’

SLR’s acquisition of HFP is the first such deal confirmed in 2014 and follows three acquisitions in 2013: UK-based landscape specialists Cooper Partnership; California-based Strategic Engineering & Sciences (SES); and Johannesburg company, Synergistics Environmental Services Ltd (Synergistics).

SLR say their approach to acquisitions reflects the firm’s ongoing strategy to augment strong organic growth with the selective acquisition of complementary companies to extend its technical and geographic coverage.